1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reader for optically and electronically reading an image recorded on a flexible light-transmissible medium formed in the shape of an elongated web.
Also, the present invention relates to an electro-developing type still video camera, using a flexible electro-developing recording medium formed as a flexible light-transmissible medium in the shape of an elongated web, which has an image reader incorporated therein for optically and electronically reading an image recorded on the flexible electro-developing recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent publication No. 8-6066 discloses an image reader for optically and electronically reading an image recorded on a flexible light-transmissible medium or flexible electro-developing recording medium formed in the shape of an elongated web. The image reader comprises a line sensor, exhibiting a photoelectric conversion nature, and a linear light source opposed to the line sensor. The flexible recording medium carrying an image recorded thereon, is then moved through a gap between the line sensor and the linear light source. The line sensor receives light rays which are emitted from the linear light source and pass through the flexible recording medium, and then converts the received light rays into image-pixel signals, whereby the optical and electronic reading of an image recorded on the flexible recording medium is carried out.
This type of flexible electro-developing recording medium can be used in an electro-developing type still video camera in substantially the same manner a silver halide roll film is used in a conventional camera. Namely, the flexible recording medium is rolled up and accommodated in a camera body of the electro-developing type still video camera. Whenever photographing is carried out, consecutive frames of the rolled flexible recording medium are drawn out. Then, a photographed image is recorded as a visible image on each frame. The recorded frames of the flexible recording medium are then successively wound up by a spool.
In this electro-developing type still video camera, just after an image is recorded on a frame of the recording medium, it is possible to optically and electronically read the image at the photographed position by using an image reader of the type mentioned above. Namely, the image reader is moved with respect to the image in the frame in such a manner that the image is scanned with the image reader, so that an optical and electronic reading of the image is carried out. In this case, of course, a photographing operation must be prohibited during the optical and electronic reading of the image.
Before a photographing operation can be allowed during an optical and electronic reading of an image recorded on a frame of a rolled flexible electro-developing recording medium, the recording medium must be wound one frame so that the recorded image is shifted from the photographing position to another position where the image can be optically and electronically read by the image reader. Nevertheless, this approach is not advisable because a space for the optical and electronic reading of the image must be provided in the camera body, resulting in a larger electro-developing type still video camera.